Prep football focus: Turnover call leaves Novato feeling empty

DUBLIN - In a football game filled with momentum swings, the biggest one was a punch in the gut for Novato High on Saturday night. It's the one that got away - literally.

With the North Coast Section Division III title on the line, the Hornets appeared primed to steal a victory from top-seeded Encinal when they forced the Jets the give up the football on a three-and-out as the clock ticked toward one minute remaining in the fourth quarter.

Novato had already overcome a 14-0 first-half deficit and the counter-punches thrown by Encinal when the Jets erased Novato's 21-14 lead to take the lead.

And with the score tied at 28-28, things were again looking up for the Hornets. Novato kicker Mike Ghirardo was limbering up his leg for a potential winning field-goal attempt, the Novato side of the stands was rocking and the bench was jazzed.

Then, Novato quarterback Jeff Stephens dropped back to pass, looking deep for his favorite target, Jacob Davis. But as he prepared to throw, Stephens was blind-sided by Encinal's Jonathan Brown. The ball flew forward into the line of scrimmage and with it went Novato's hopes.

Encinal's Kimani Washington emerged with the ball, and when the official decision was fumble, the Hornets were in trouble. Encinal had the ball at the Novato 41-yard line, and from there, it took only three passes - by Brown - to produce a touchdown that gave the Jets a 35-28 victory.

"All I remember is hitting him," said Brown. "I don't know what happened after that. It's not the pros. You can't challenge it."

The announcement from the press box was that the play was an interception, but the ball clearly had hit the ground. From Novato's sideline the ruling felt wrong.

"I was about to release the ball and I got hit," Stephens said. "I know my arm was moving forward. I thought it would be an incomplete pass but they called it Encinal ball for some reason."

The other participant, Davis, said there was no way for him to see what had happened.

"I was running my route and Jeff was throwing it my way," Davis said. "I didn't see what happened. It comes down to Encinal scored last and capitalized on the mistake we made. A loss is a loss, no matter what. I hate losing. But you've got to love this kind of game. It was fun."

Coach Travis Brackett was unwilling to make too much out of the call.

"I thought it was an incomplete pass," he said. "But there's nothing you can do about it."